Conscious Dreaming
by Miss.Yamapi.Kara
Summary: When you picked up your daily newspaper today, you weren't expecting to read about anything interesting. You never guessed you could have been wrong. Remember, the AdvanceTechWorld is not a real place. Remember that. NarutoxSasuke
1. The System

**Title: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** Miss.Yamapi.Kara  
**Type:** Chapter-fic  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Pairing:** Naruto x Sasuke  
**Genre:** Angst, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction  
**Warnings: **Shounen-ai  
**Story Rating: **T

**Summary: **_When you picked up your daily newspaper today, you weren't expecting to read about anything interesting. You never guessed you could have been wrong. Remember, the AdvanceTechWorld is not a real place. Remember that.  
_

**Chapter Title: **'The System'**  
Genre: **General, Science Fiction**  
Warnings: **None outstanding**  
Rating: **T

**So Basically:** AdvanceTechWorld is a new system created to allow people to enter into foreign places created (or accessed ?) by technology of the place that we know as our world: Earth, third planet from the Sun in the Galaxy of the Milky Way. By wearing the specific ATW headset, your entire body and mind can visit another place, ranging from the familiarity of a club lounge to the unchartered territories of an uninhabited world. Of course, you remain essentially conscious, thereby avoiding any adverse affects of the world you have travelled to. It is in this setting that you encounter Naruto and Sasuke, not as friends, not as enemies, but as two people living separate lives on the Earth you know. Will they live separate lives to the end of their days?

**Disclaimer: **I (, as the author of this piece of writing, 'Conscious Dreaming',) do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'.  
I appreciate the lenience of Masashi Kishimoto and all those concerned with 'Naruto' to not take any legal actions against myself, as I have not purposely intended to offend them, nor have I intended to steal their material, earnings or imagination. I am gaining no profit from this piece other than my own enjoyment and perhaps expressed delight or amusement from unfamiliar readers.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

I thank Masashi Kishimoto every day since coming across 'Naruto' for sharing his story – THANKYOU!

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing as I am proud of it and hold it very dear to myself. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid-writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it without permission from myself, the author. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, large or small, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

I believe it is one of the greatest things in this world to be able to create things from your own mind, heart, soul and fabric. Be proud of your own creations – they could only ever come from you.

Miss.Yamapi.Kara

**Author's Note: **Something I came up with near midnight a couple of days ago. I've decided to work on two projects at a time in hopes of keeping my ideas fresh.

_Proceeding... _

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: The System**

**-**

When you picked up your daily newspaper today, you weren't expecting to read about anything interesting.

You anticipated the headline and you thought you'd seen the cover picture before. You turned the page and didn't even blink at the tragic block-lettered words that stared back at you. Page fourteen had never looked so bland.

You sat down in your usual chair. You nibbled on your usual breakfast. You expected today to be like any other day.

You never guessed you could have been wrong.

To say the least, you were surprised, when the centre-fold slipped to the floor with a 'shink'.

The colour on the page and the words 'Unreal Reality' splashed across it certainly got your attention.

You found yourself wanting to read more, didn't you?

* * *

**Unreal Reality**

_Dreamscape achieved for local public_

Zala Macdrid

International technological research institute, AdvanceTech, has made a breakthrough in the area of communication technology. The aptly named organisation is currently leading in both the research field and sales market for new methods of interaction.

It was announced last week after the monthly conference of AdvanceTech companies that a version of the newest laboratory invention was in the final testing stages for approval of global distribution. AdvanceTech was proud to inform the world of this achievement, thoroughly convinced that the realisation of this device would mark the beginning of a technological revolution: Inter-planar Communication.

"It is a concept that we've been working on for many years," said the Head of Design for the German branch, Karl Dehler, "It is unlike anything we, as human beings, have ever been able to create using our technology."

Familiarly known as 'The System' to worldwide departments of AdvanceTech, it is affectionately known as 'Alice' to the developers within the institute. To the general public, it will be known as AdvanceTechWorld.

Public Relations Officers for AdvanceTech have described the device as a "real virtual chat-room". Initially intended to simulate real interactions similar to those between people in city bars or lounges, AdvanceTechWorld has taken 'The Sims' to a whole new level.

"Inter-planar Communication is exactly that: our world connecting with another world," Dainée Angelos, Head of Public Relations told reporters, "It allows everyday people to meet in an endless number of scenarios, either fantastic or mundane. It's as if we're travelling through power lines _ourselves_, and ending up in themed chat-rooms, body and all, ready to go on an adventure with people from across the globe."

Despite efforts to maintain a low profile, opinion of the first complete Inter-planar Communication system is fast forming among the population.

"While we can't be sure how such a remarkable piece of equipment will be received by the public, we have considered and extensively researched the ethical issues surrounding its release." Ms Angelos explained, "We are confident that it is sound and will be a brilliant success."

News of The System has been received in pop-culture as notification of a novel gaming console, while scientifically it is considered the next step in space-time travel. Various experts in the study and exploration of spiritualism have labelled it as a technologically enhanced form of astral projection.

AdvanceTechWorld was cleared for global distribution last night and will be arriving in local stores within two days.

* * *

You read the entire article. 

Maybe you were sceptical and thought it was just another fad – another thing your friends and family would become engrossed in and taken over by.

Maybe you were right.

Maybe you weren't.

But that isn't the issue here. The issue isn't necessarily this new technology at all.

In fact, the issue transcends technology in every way.

The issue is Love, and the story is the one you are reading now, after the article this morning, after your breakfast was eaten and your day is done.

You ran home today, didn't you?

You've been waiting to read about the two, haven't you?

The two who were brought together by this amazing feat of technological science after aeons of time. Or perhaps no time at all.

Space-time theories are numerous and counting – who is to dictate the distance between our heroes during then? This is now.

This is what matters.

I bet you're glad _you_ were the one chosen to share in their last story.

* * *

So... does anyone have any idea where this is going? It's actually quite simple.. even predictable.. I hope you enjoyed the introduction to 'Conscious Dreaming'! 


	2. The Dawn Is Breaking

**Chapter Title: **'The Dawn Is Breaking...'  
**Belonging To: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** Miss.Yamapi.Kara**  
Genre: **Drama, Science Fiction**  
Warnings: **None outstanding**  
Rating: **T  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Chapter Summary:** The memories plague them, but they don't remember what they see. One is searching, the other is running. For what and from what, they only wish they knew.  
**Chapter Soundtrack:** 'Collide' Howie Day

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'. I am gaining no profit from this piece.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
I do not claim ownership over the song 'Collide', performed by Howie Day.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid-writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

I believe it is one of the greatest things in this world to be able to create things from your own mind, heart, soul and fabric. Be proud of your own creations – they could only ever come from you.

Miss.Yamapi.Kara

**Author's Note:** GMT - Greenwich Mean Time; also UT (Universal Time); it's the timescale I'm using here to show that the things described in Naruto's and Sasuke's daily lives are happening at the same time. Fun fact: during my research, I found that there is a Naruto University of Education in Japan. Fancy that.

This chapter is **dedicated** to everyone who made it possible for _'Collide'_, performed by Howie Day, to reach my ears.

_Proceeding... _

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: The Dawn Is Breaking...**

**-**

_... I'm open, you're closed  
Where I follow, you'll go  
I worry I won't see your face  
Light up again ..._

1:00am : GMT+1  
Zurich, Switzerland  
Milchberg Complex, Apartment 508

He woke in a cold sweat with his sheets tangled around his legs.

It was dark in his bedroom and the first thing that he asked himself was the time. Somehow, knowing the time calmed him, as if it gave stability to an otherwise unpredictable world.

Early morning was displayed in vibrant digital red on his dresser.

He sighed and wiped his forehead with his hand. What had he dreamt?

_That_ dream again, surely. It was the only one that would leave him like this, gasping for air and blinking rapidly.

_'Go to the bathroom. Wash your face.'_ He ordered himself in exasperation.

This was getting ridiculous.

Standing in front of the sink, he turned the faucet and cupped his hands under the flowing water. He splashed his face and sighed into the coolness.

He was sighing a lot, lately.

Faucet off, towel in hand, he looked into the mirror in front of him. Beads of liquid ran rivers over his cheeks, fell in droplets from his chin; his blond hair darkened where it had been wetted.

Blue eyes never lie.

They reflected his tiredness through the glass and he decided to go back to bed.

Lying down, getting comfortable was impossible. Decision time: sleep is not an option.

He stood and donned his jeans and exchanged his shirt for a new one. After _that_ dream, when all else failed, he took up his AdvanceTechWorld headset, Developer Program Edition.

An employee of AdvanceTech got free exploration hours, after all.

He wouldn't be rested well for work tomorrow.

He sighed again and shrugged in his mind. That wasn't important at the moment.

Important was _that_ dream.

The dream he could never remember.

The one that fled his consciousness the moment he exited sleep.

However, he was sure of one thing – something that made him feel attached to his dream and urged him to pursue the evanescent images: in it, he was always chasing something.

* * *

_... I'm quiet, you know  
You make a first impression  
I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind ...  
_

8:00am : GMT+9  
Kobe, Japan  
Kobe University, Heisei Dorm, Room 201

He woke holding his breath with a snapping open of his eyes.

Light shone past the curtain of his window and the first thing he asked himself was where was he. It was always distressing for him to be uncertain of his surroundings, as if he could never be sure of anything.

Familiar wallpaper and furnishings guaranteed this was his room.

He sighed and relaxed his curled up body. What had he dreamt?

_That_ dream again, there was no doubt. It was the only one that would leave him like this, paralysed with a tension that he couldn't place and even afraid to move.

_'Sit up. Nothing's here to hurt you.'_ He did as he had told himself.

This was getting ridiculous.

He looked around his single dorm room and sighed.

He was sighing a lot, lately.

After pulling aside the curtains of the window by his bed, he scanned the sky blankly. His reflection in the glass was sharp, black hair a dark shadow on a clear lake's surface.

Black eyes are always shy.

They betrayed his restlessness through the glass and he had no idea what to do.

He stood and pulled on black pants and a jacket over his shirt. After _that_ dream, when all else failed, he took up his AdvanceTechWorld headset, his escape from the people and places he was not attached to.

Everywhere he went, he seemed to be out of place.

He didn't have much time, though – he had a class that morning.

He sighed again and shrugged in his mind. That wasn't important at the moment.

Important was _that_ dream.

The dream he could never remember.

The one that disappeared the instant he opened his eyes.

However, he was sure of one thing – something that made him unable to forget the occurrence of the dream: in it, he wanted to face something but was always afraid to.

* * *

They had each entered a co-ordinate that neither had experience before. They had both chosen a place at random in a hurry to become distracted by something else. 

This one was a pleasant setting.

A lounge with dimmed lighting in orange and blue tones, plush couches and a warm wood furnished bar area. Soft, uplifting music played in the background as some people swayed on a wood-panel dance floor. There were many people.

He smiled and rolled his neck before stepping forward towards the bar. Technically, it wasn't too early for a drink. He slid into a seat and smoothed his hands over the rich red counter-top mat.

In the mirrored glass behind the bar shelves, he noticed his eyes looking a lighter shade of blue already – a sign that he was calming down.

When the bartender asked him his poison and delivered, he swivelled in his seat and gazed out at the room.

He sighed again, more happily this time, and sipped his drink.

_... Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme  
Out of the doubt that fills my mind  
I somehow find  
You and I collide ...  
_

Glancing at the place he had arrived in, he couldn't say he was displeased.

He shifted his shoulders to disperse a little tension and side-stepped a couple that were too absorbed in each other to notice where they were walking.

It didn't bother him – he knew he didn't belong there either, so no one would act as though he did.

The warm lights and scattered coves of pillowed sofas made it a casual place, somewhere one could come to unwind.

He figured that was exactly what he would do.

Searching out the bar, he located it and began to walk towards it, aware of anyone who stepped too close and avoiding the dance floor entirely.

As he neared it, he started to feel a strange stir – a stir that he was convinced he'd felt before.

Even recently.

They both looked up.

Blue and black collided.

* * *

Kapitel 2 ist fertig! Weeeeeeee! 

Next time: ...I don't know! You'll find out when I do. ;P


	3. Is This The Only Evidence That Proves It

**Chapter Title: **'Is This The Only Evidence That Proves It?'  
**Belonging To: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** Miss.Yamapi.Kara**  
Genre: **Drama, (Romance), Science Fiction**  
Warnings:** None outstanding**  
Rating: **T  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Chapter Summary:** A memory surfaces while both are awake and they see it, and each other. They are both distressed. What is going on?  
**Chapter Soundtrack:** 'Was It A Dream?' 30 Seconds To Mars

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'. I am gaining no profit from this piece.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
I do not claim ownership over the song 'Was It A Dream?', performed by 30 Seconds To Mars.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid-writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

I believe it is one of the greatest things in this world to be able to create things from your own mind, heart, soul and fabric. Be proud of your own creations – they could only ever come from you.

Miss.Yamapi.Kara

**Author's Note:** **IMPORTANT:** "_**Writing like this"**_ indicates remembering something that was said in the past ('Naruto'-verse). _'Writing like this'_ indicates a thought that is occurring presently (while in ATW). "Writing like this" indicates speech. _Writing like this_ is used in the memory scene – that entire block of writing is what Naruto and Sasuke both remember when they see each other in the ATW lounge. Words surrounded by three dots are song lyrics.

This chapter is **dedicated** to everyone who made it possible for _'Was It A Dream?'_, performed by 30 Seconds To Mars, to reach my ears.

_Proceeding..._

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: Is This The Only Evidence That Proves It?**

**-**

_... Was it a dream?  
Is this the only evidence that proves it?  
A photograph of you and I ..._

He held his breath and slowly leaned back against the bar counter.

The polished wood dug into his back.

He didn't feel it.

The other was frozen in place.

People walked past him unmindful of his shocked state.

He saw right through them.

Their eyes didn't blink, they didn't move – everything was fast and slow and unmoving.

And then everything was nothing at all.

* * *

_Trees rush past._

_High speed; wind; thump, land foot and balance, don't fall off; keep running, keep jumping; chasing, running, chasing._

_The forest is dark and it must be night time. The canopy lets in less than no light._

_Fly past, under a break in the ceiling of leaves, and there is the moon._

_The trees must be thick._

_Step, step, soar; step again, dodge that branch; breathe in, breathe out; ragged gasp and wheeze._

_There is light, it pervades the area up ahead. The canopy must be thinning. It becomes a paler green, no longer dark jade._

_Chasing, running, chasing._

_A branch is snapped and the sound cuts through the silence of the woods. It isn't heard by the two who have blood roaring in their ears._

_The leaves are thinning. Light drips to the forest floor like falling snow._

_Still thinning, more and more. It's coming now in streams like ribbons, spotlights on wild flowers._

_The trees stop._

_The young man in front halts too late, almost falls from the branch._

_The one in back shoots a hand out to catch the other._

_They're standing now, both on the same thick branch of a towering tree, facing each other and breathless. They take in air greedily. It's the only sound to be heard._

_They're the only two people for miles._

_Blue and black collide._

_Everything is silent now; silver illuminates the night as the moon now has clear view of the two._

_Blue and black war._

_... Your defences were on high  
Your walls built deep inside  
Yeah, I'm a selfish bastard  
But at least I'm not alone ..._

"_Why won't you stop running?" A husky voice asks and blue eyes plead._

_There is no answer. The forest listens._

_Tension is high and the air is trembling._

"_Seven years of running... can't you stop now?"_

_He is searching for a sign in the other that things can finally change. He sees no point in a doomed quest._

_He just wants the other to stop._

_Deep breath, "I might sound selfish... but I'm being honest: I want you to come back."_

_Black eyes remain blank._

_Blue eyes burn._

"_Do you hear me? It's not about anyone else anymore, it's about me! **I** want this to end! I'm tired of chasing you and I **hate** that I can't stop myself!"_

_A spark in the darkness._

"_...A long time ago, you said I didn't understand... but I can imagine. To lose all my friends.. the friends that have become my family.. just thinking of it makes me lonely. But then I remember I haven't been alone for a long time. They won't let that happen to me."_

_He takes a step towards the one he's speaking to._

_Blue eyes are strong and truth shines in them freely, "You won't have to be alone anymore, either. Let me make sure of that. Please, come back with me?"_

_It has to be a question because he knows the other will never listen to a command._

_... My intentions never change  
What I wanted stays the same  
And I know what I should do ..._

"_Don't ask me things like that!" Confusion infuses the loud, deep voice with fury._

_The trees shake with his yell._

_He takes a step back on strong legs, much stronger than his heart, when the other shuffles towards him._

_A bead of sweat glides from brow to chin._

_Everything is quiet again – he reassesses his control and knows what he has to do. He dons the mask of a well-rehearsed role._

_He has always known his life must be sustained by lies._

_Black eyes are unyielding, "There is no decision for me to make."_

_He cannot leave this path; too much time has been spent on it already. There is nothing else for him, and he cannot allow himself to believe otherwise._

_He steps back and falls from the branch to the forest floor, intent on resuming the run and escaping from the source of his inner turmoil._

_Blue eyes do not leave black as he watches the other descend. He follows with a scowl._

_Chasing again, running, chasing._

_The glade is wide and bursting with blooming white flowers. They blossom under the ethereal radiance of the moon. Petals become airborne in the wake of the runner and fall gently before swirling with the passing of the chaser._

_He is fed up with this game. He leaps and catches a hold of the other's ankle._

_They both fall. They crush flowers beneath their bodies. They spare no thought for it._

_They struggle and grunt, a fight for a head-start in the next race to escape or pursue._

_With a strong push against each other, they are both standing again and baring teeth._

"_Damn it! I'm never going to let you go!"_

_... Your reflection I've erased  
Like a thousand burned out yesterdays  
Believe me when I say goodbye forever  
Is for good ..._

"_You are nothing more than a memory to me."_

_Two hearts shatter in the stillness of the night._

* * *

The image stilled like a photograph. 

The young man at the bar blinked first.

The last scene of the sudden movie in his mind lingered. It spoke a thousand words of anger, betrayal and anguish. It spoke volumes of passion.

His lip trembled, _'What was that..?'_

A tear slipped from his eye and he gasped, _'That wasn't a dream...'_

Across the room, the young man standing there shook, black hair falling into his eyes.

The scene frozen in his mind's eye screamed deception, fear and denial. It was filled to burst with tension.

_**'What do you know, when you've been alone from the start? Huh?!'**_

He held his head, _'Was that my voice?'_

It scared him to think it, but he couldn't explain it otherwise, _'It wasn't a dream this time.'  
_

It was a decision made independently by both in the same moment.

The room was suddenly short two people.

No one seemed to notice.

* * *


	4. Just Pick Up, I Know You're There

**Chapter Title: **'Just Pick Up, I Know You're There'  
**Belonging To: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** Miss.Yamapi.Kara**  
Genre: **Drama, (Humour), Science Fiction**  
Warnings: **None outstanding**  
Rating: **T  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Chapter Summary:** Their lives seem to be without colour, when they aren't dreaming. Choices have to be made: to confront or to run?  
**Chapter Soundtrack:** 'Hear Me Out' Frou Frou, 'Lifting Shadows Off A Dream' Dream Theater

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'. I am gaining no profit from this piece.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
I do not claim ownership over the songs named above.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid-writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

Miss.Yamapi.Kara

**Author's Note:** As is usual in my writing, italic words bordered by apostrophes are thoughts, i.e. _'This is a thought.' _My sarcastic humour crept into this chapter somehow... Deal? _hides_ It really shouldn't be bad – some of you might even understand it ;P Enjoy chapter 4 of 'Conscious Dreaming'!

This chapter is **dedicated** to everyone who made it possible for _'Hear Me Out'_ and_ 'Lifting Shadows Off A Dream'_, performed by Frou Frou and Dream Theater respectively, to reach my ears.

_Proceeding..._

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: Just Pick Up, I Know You're There**

**-**

8:38am : GMT+1  
Zurich, Switzerland  
AdvanceTech Building, Centre of Development, 23rd Floor

He was late.

But no one would care.

As the elevator doors opened to his office floor, he walked in on autopilot.

His blond hair was dishevelled and, if he took the moment to notice, his tie was askew; he had missed a button on his shirt and he was carrying his jacket in his right hand.

With quick steps, he walked past door after door until he reached his office.

He sat down in his chair and dropped his bag and jacket to the floor.

Tilting his head back and sliding down in his seat, a white ceiling stared down on him while white walls surrounded him.

_'That wasn't a dream.'_ He was certain.

After logging off of ATW and throwing his headset across the room, the young man had become lost in panicked thoughts of what had just happened; what did he see, what did he feel?

But most importantly: _'Who was that?'_

That thought had taken over every sense and impulse he possessed.

It was the face from his dreams.

That thought had distracted him entirely and made him late to work.

But he didn't care, and no one else would either. So he sat and stared and thought.

After calming himself considerably, the young man had been able to realise that he had felt comfortable with the other person, as if he knew him. He also felt an overwhelming kind of anxiousness that ran through his veins with fire and threatened to explode in his chest and head. The kind of "last chance" spike in heartbeat that came with barely tamed frustration.

He had realised that, in the vision, he was desperate to make the person come with him.

He wanted the man to follow him. To return wherever he himself had come from.

He also knew that he had met with the man like that many times, and many more than he would have liked but at the same time it was the greatest thing to happen to him.

_'I was chasing him and I found him.. but that wasn't all I wanted. It was like I was sick of just seeing him... Like it wasn't.. enough?'_

With the event clear in his mind and as understood as it was going to become without additional information, he decided that he would return to the AdvanceTechWorld and search for the mysterious black-haired man who sparked this vision.

_'I wouldn't be surprised if he knows me already, with the way he was staring.'_

It would be difficult to find him, but a developer of The System had a few tricks up his sleeve. He also lacked the ability to give up.

He blinked and cocked an eyebrow at the lofty thoughts running through his head, _'Or maybe, he saw the same thing I did...'_

* * *

_... I'm a slow-motion accident_

_Lost in coffee rings and fingerprints_

_I don't wanna feel anything_

_But I do_

_And it all comes back to you ..._

* * *

3:38pm : GMT+9  
Kobe, Japan  
Kobe University, Language Block, Masahiro Hall 

He was late.

It really wasn't like him.

Nonetheless, he was late.

As he opened the door to his English classroom and picked his way through the mass of students to his usual window seat, he was glad that his professor was inclined to tardiness.

Setting his bag down on the floor next to his feet, he ran a hand through his unkempt hair.

He paid no mind to his undone appearance of rough jeans and a rumpled shirt, rather trying to reign in his frantic thoughts.

_'If it wasn't just a dream, then what was it?'_

His dark eyes bore into nothingness as he laced his fingers underneath his nose and planted his elbows on the desk top.

It was with a sharp yelp that he had pulled off his ATW headset and dropped it onto his bed that morning. He made the decision to ignore his clock and first lecture of the day in favour of exercising his right to brood. Since then, he'd been buried in the soundless buzz of questions in his own mind.

_'Who is he?'_

The same face that he'd seen in his dreams, he could remember now.

The revelation had been powerful enough to wipe his head of anything else other than the face.

He wanted a name to accompany it.

_'I don't want to see him again.. Something is telling me to stay away from all this. But I really want to see him again..'_

Quite unlike himself, he let his head fall to the desk with a soft 'thump' as he admitted that he wasn't making any sense.

He had been able to discern that it was fear of his own decision that made him want to run away from the person, not fear of the person himself. He understood that the other man was someone worthwhile enough to forsake important things for. And that frightened him.

The sheer weight that the confusion he felt in the vision had left in his chest scared him – scared him because he didn't know why he was so torn.

_'What was I trying to decide?'_

It was clear to him that that person was a distraction, but a distraction that he valued and wanted dearly to be bothered by.

It felt as though he'd been fighting with that indecision for a long time; he was suddenly very tired.

Slowly sitting upright once more, he crossed his arms over his chest and one leg over the other.

With the uncertainty of his own desires, he conceded he was curious to know what was going on, but reluctant to find out.

He assured himself that the chance of meeting the man again was slim-to-none, and decided not to let this event deter him from visiting the AdvanceTechWorld.

Perhaps he would be lucky enough to run into the man again.

Or not.

* * *

_... He seems alone and silent  
Waiting on his hands and knees  
The chill of winter's darkness sits quietly ..._

Sakura Haruno, assistant and secretary in the office of the 23rd floor of the AdvanceTech Centre in Zurich, was an astute woman.

She was particularly attune to the movements of one specific co-worker.

Having watched him trudge across the office floor, she readied two cups of tea and headed towards his office.

The door was open.

She walked in as she would any other time – they were good friends.

Setting the cup down on the table top, she sighed and placed her hand on her hip: there was the man, staring off into space with his magical blue eyes and whimsically wind-tossed locks.

She kicked the desk once to break the spell he was under.

"Wah! Eh? Sakura?" He jolted and came to notice her presence.

"Good morning. Awake, are we?" She purred dangerously.

"Yeah, I know I'm a little late today, but I really couldn't help it." He laughed off her threatening gaze and scratched the back of his neck – a habit he'd had since he was a child.

"Well, as long as you got here in one piece." She nodded and sipped her tea.

She noticed that her partner in conversation ignored the drink completely.

"I made you some tea." She offered kindly.

Black-rimmed eyes glanced tiredly at the cup and he smiled slightly, "Thanks, but I really gotta get to work."

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard, you know." It wasn't a question, but the concern that her soft voice carried betrayed her.

First and foremost they were friends, and she was worried about him.

Lately, he'd been oddly distant and quiet. He seemed preoccupied with the world in his head rather than the one outside of it. He would sit in his office and work non-stop, always trying to find ways to improve the AdvanceTechWorld and exploring every corner of it.

He had never been so dedicated to it before.

It was as if he was searching for something – something in that world that he couldn't find anywhere else.

Sakura wanted to help him but she knew she couldn't. She didn't know The System like he did, and certainly didn't understand what drove her enigmatic friend.

She was also aware that the AdvanceTechWorld was a realm created by humans; it was obvious to her that nothing in it was real.

It was all a game.

She wanted to make sure he didn't become obsessed with something unreal that he couldn't possibly attain. It frustrated her that she didn't have the skill to follow where he went, to help him like she wanted to.

As he clicked a few switches and typed a few commands, she looked on.

Even when he took up the headset she watched and waited till he grinned and told her not to frown like that, it'd give her wrinkles.

She flipped her red hair at the comment, trying to shrug off her disquiet by playing along with the joke.

As he sat back and secured the headset, she sighed and started to leave.

The best she could do was watch over him and be there for him if he needed it.

Sakura let herself have one last thought for her friend before concentrating on her own job, _'Please, don't forget that that world isn't real.'_

* * *

_... He seems alone and silent  
Thoughts remain without an answer  
Afraid and uninvited  
He slowly drifts away ..._

Hatake Kakashi, admired professor of the English language in Kobe University, Japan, was a shrewd man.

He was rather attentive to one student in particular.

As he sauntered into the lecture room and placed his laptop bag onto the front desk, he spied the student sitting by the window.

"Ah, sorry I'm late!" He raised a hand in greeting to his class, "You see, there was this little lost girl with ruby red shoes, and you don't really care, do you?"

He noticed the majority of the class had already opened their books and were translating passages.

So much for his fantastic recount.

Turning his back to the room, he uncapped a white board marker and began to scrawl over the board.

As he did this, he glanced back at the young man through the image reflected in the window.

"Now, who's daring enough to recap the last lecture for me?" He asked, all the while his eyes were trained on one person.

A girl raised her hand, standing from her seat when Kakashi motioned for her to commence.

She began to speak and, in doing so, diverted attention from the front of the room.

He began to let his thoughts backtrack over memories of the last few weeks; his pupil had been uncharacteristically distracted during that time.

Initially, Kakashi had guessed that it was something personal along the lines of girl trouble that was bothering him. But as he continued to observe him, the professor had realised that the other was not only less focussed in the classroom, but also more withdrawn from the world around him in general.

He and the young man were on good terms, often chatting outside of lecture hours, but Kakashi had never seen him so uncaring of the happenings around him.

"Thankyou, very good." The girl had finished her recount, "We'll be moving on today, to the topic of..." and he continued with his lesson.

He let his mouth run and his mind wander.

It was a talent.

Kakashi saw dark eyes narrow and decided his student was indeed in deep thought.

It frustrated him that he wasn't able to understand what was going through the other's head, and he doubted that he could do anything about it, even if he did comprehend.

It felt like one of those utterly helpless situations.

Resigning himself to his role as mentor, Kakashi decided that his advice in firm words and a friendly tone, along with a warm squeeze of the shoulder would have to do, in terms of aid.

Watching carefully as the black-haired man ignored the working students around him, he knew there was nothing else he could do.

He was out of his league.

Despite his cool demeanour, he worried for the other: he always seemed so out of place.

He wished that everything would work out for him, and that he would be able to find answers to all the questions that clouded his eyes.

Kakashi spent a silent thought before returning to his class, _'When you find out what you want, don't let it go.'_

* * *

Review? Worse, better? Meh? I love to hear thoughts, and I'd really like for people to tell me which specific parts/lines they liked/disliked. :D 


	5. Fall to Pieces

**Chapter Title: **'Creak and Crumble, Reel and Stumble, Fall to Pieces'  
**Belonging To: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** Miss.Yamapi.Kara**  
Genre: **Drama, (Romance), Science Fiction**  
Warnings: **None outstanding**  
Rating: **T  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Chapter Summary:** 'So close' is never close enough.  
**Chapter Soundtrack:** 'Find the Words' Mad At Gravity

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'. I am gaining no profit from this piece.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
I do not claim ownership over the songs named above.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

Miss.Yamapi.Kara

**Author's Note:** Don't hurt meee! I'm too... penitent to die? _hopeful_ My goodness, this was hard to write even after refreshing the idea in my mind. I'm very sorry to have been gone so long. I will try to be more consistent from now on.

This chapter is **dedicated** to everyone who made it possible for _'Find the Words'_, performed by Mad At Gravity, to reach my ears.

_Proceeding..._

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: Creak and Crumble, Reel and Stumble, Fall to Pieces**

**-**

7:52pm : GMT+1  
Zurich, Switzerland  
AdvanceTech Building, Centre of Development, 23rd Floor

Having failed miserably in tracking both the account and movements of the mysterious user, the young man sighed heavily.

He was still sitting at his desk, socked feet resting on a pile of finished reports, and toying with a length of broken cable.

_'How can that happen? He was in **my** development quarters..'_

His failure puzzled him and he began to wonder if maybe he didn't understand The System anymore.

"Alice, baby, don't betray me."

Blue eyes pleaded with the monitors glowing before them.

Maybe it was a glitch in the program. Maybe he hadn't really seen anyone. Maybe it had been his imagination.

But he knew it wasn't.

He knew that person had been there, and he knew that person.

_'Don't I?'_

As he wrapped the piece of cable around his hand, he stared at the headset.

So many hours.

The cup of tea was ice-cold.

Sakura had scolded him before she left. Of course, she had turned around and apologised and said that she was just really worried about him.

He thanked her and sent her home.

As good a friend as Sakura was, she needed to understand he wasn't a helpless child.

He had the ability to win his battles.

The cable dropped to the office floor and newly unoccupied fingers reached for the headset.

_'Ok, one more time...'_

* * *

2:52am : GMT+9  
Kobe, Japan  
Kobe University, Heisei Dorm, Room 201

Having failed to fall asleep almost four hours earlier, the young man stood by his dorm room window, leaning his forehead against the glass.

His arms were crossed and covered by a thin jumper. His forehead felt cool and his eyes were closed.

_'I'm not going to be able to sleep until I go back.'_

He opened his eyes.

"But I don't want to."

Black eyes wandered without seeing.

It was possible that it had been an illusion. A mistake of his brain brought on by recent stress. A reflection of meaningless images in his mind.

But he knew it wasn't.

He knew his dreams weren't hollow, and he knew the person in them.

_'Don't I?'_

He turned around slowly to take in the state of his room.

Organised, not a thing out of place.

Except for the headset that lay in the far corner.

Having left his afternoon English class and attended the next two without incident, he'd returned to his dorm with only one thing in mind: sleep.

Sleep and forget.

But that proved impossible.

He stared at the headset. He knew he had to go. He knew he wanted to go.

_'Just do it.'_

* * *

_... If I told you _

_That the crowd was all ears_

_Could you find the words to say.. ..._

The place was bright this time.

It was a children's playground during early morning.

The sand was dark with melted fog and dew drops clung to the red elephant slide. Sunshine-yellow swings were still as a portrait, and so too was the green shrubbery around.

Black eyes looked up at the sky to find it pale like blue powder, but seamlessly smooth.

The boundaries of the playground were hidden by a floating wall of white that swirled as the young man stepped near it.

He believed that he should stay and wait; after all, the first meeting was made in a random place, it may well happen again.

He chose to wait on the purple see-saw.

He rested at the fulcrum.

_'What do I do if he shows...'_

_... Would you laugh or would you fall to pieces?_

_Would you lie or would you run? ..._

_'What was my plan again?'_

Less a battle strategy, the programmer played with The System's co-ordinates.

He was waiting for a number that would catch his attention.

There.

Command prompt. Deep breath.

_'Let's go.'_

_... Could you find the words to say.. ..._

His first thought on entering the playground was one of serenity. The air was light and cool.

His second was one of triumphant turmoil.

Blue eyes met black.

* * *

_... If I told you_

_You could take home the prize_

_Would you know the game to play? ..._

_The one in white and black turns and runs._

_He knows this is his only chance to escape._

_His only chance, before he turns around and concedes._

_High speed; wind; thump, land foot and balance, don't fall off; keep running, keep jumping; just leave._

_The forest is once again dark._

_The moon will not shine until the next break in the canopy._

_It must be far away._

_He hopes it is far away._

_... If I told you_

_You had the world on a string_

_Could you tell which way to pull? ..._

_The one in orange and black starts chasing._

_Again._

_Chasing as if he has never known otherwise._

_And yet, he despises it._

_Chasing, running, chasing._

_There is no sound; no branches snapping, no leaves crunching._

_No mistakes being made._

_He realises now: if he is to reach his target, he cannot follow in its footsteps._

_His path is deviated._

_... If I told you_

_That your life was a glass_

_Would you know when it was full? ..._

_A pale hand grasps the sword at his back._

_He feels uneasy somehow._

_From his right, too fast to react; he is knocked sideways and his sword is pulled away._

_He lands hard on a branch too far below. His ankles pain._

_Now from the left, too fast to react; he feels a heavy weight push him back._

_His hair fluttering in front of his eyes cuts his vision into two, four, two fields as he falls the short way to the forest floor._

_He lands again hard, but his face remains removed from pain._

_The body pinning him to the ground prevents resumed evasion._

_Blue eyes stare down from above; rough hands render the others' immobile._

"_That's what you get for underestimating me."_

_Black eyes are emotionless from below; his fists clench and relax, clench and twist._

"_Let me go or die."_

_The forest is dark. There is no light._

"_I **said** I'm **never** going to let you go! **Open** your **ears**, bastard!!"_

_... Could you find the words to say.. ..._

_Slip. One mistake._

_A hand shoots up towards his throat-_

* * *

Everything was dark.

No, not dark. Gone.

He tore the headset away and looked around frantically.

"Sakura?!"

She was standing over the keyboard, hands poised in mid type.

She had disconnected him from The System.

Her eyes were worried and wet.

"I knew you'd still be here! This really has to stop, you don't know what you're doing to yours-"

"I know exactly what I'm doing!!"

Even though he didn't.

He was panicking.

He couldn't believe it.

One in a million. Who knows what number he'd magically rolled to win and find that man again.

He was livid.

He shoved his feet into his shoes, pulled his jacket from his chair, and pushed past the woman to leave the office.

* * *

He pulled his headset off and laid it onto the bed next to him.

He stared at the wall.

His heart was pounding.

His chest felt as if it were burning.

One hand rose to feel the beating through his shirt.

He sighed and fell back.

* * *


	6. The Promise of You

**Chapter Title: **'The Promise of You'  
**Belonging To: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** Miss.Yamapi.Kara**  
Genre: **General, (Romance), Science Fiction**  
Warnings: **None outstanding**  
Rating: **T  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Chapter Summary:** Let's set the stage.  
**Chapter Soundtrack:** 'Promise of You' Edwin McCain

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'. I am gaining no profit from this piece.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
I do not claim ownership over the songs named above.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

Miss.Yamapi.Kara

**Author's Note: **Chapter six, hoooo!

This chapter is **dedicated** to everyone who made it possible for 'Promise of You', performed by Edwin McCain, to reach my ears.

_Proceeding..._

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: The Promise of You**

**-**

_... The promise of you_

_It sleeps in the air_

_The air that I breathe _

_and I know that it's true _

_Don't have to convince myself to believe ..._

It has been exactly two months since they last met, in the playground surrounded by mist.

During that time, both young men have searched for each other. Somehow they have been unsuccessful and therefore are now irritated and perplexed.

You must understand, neither knows exactly what he is seeing while with the other man in that World.

And, of course, both expect that everything that happens in the AdvanceTechWorld is false.

The programmer knows the codes that create landscapes in that World – he has firsthand knowledge that it is a place fabricated by humankind.

The student knows just as well – a technological plane not physically reachable to the human body cannot offer any truth to what he has seen.

But both feel that it is not entirely correct.

What they found and experienced when together could not have been less real for the simple fact that their knowledge is obsolete to their feelings. Their beating hearts were pumping real hot blood; their ears were consumed by the sound.

The story they were watching is in them.

And now, both want to know the end.

And you're glad.

* * *

_... So much love wasted _

_It slipped right through my hands_

_You see it in the eyes of the lonely_

_As they make their weary way_

_The shimmer in the eyes of longing ..._

10:20am : GMT+1  
Zurich, Switzerland  
Milchberg Complex, Apartment 508

"Whyyyy..." Blue eyes squinted at the ceiling.

He was lying on his bed, frowning and whining and altogether annoyed.

He'd been chosen to attend a convention in Japan. He'd been assigned to promote AdvanceTech and speak specifically about AdvanceTechWorld to a congregation of hundreds of people.

Maybe thousands.

And he hated public speaking.

"This is all Sakura's fault." He pouted as he remembered how the woman had flushed and resolutely stated that a trip would do him good.

Apparently, in suggesting him to Management she had forgotten that this 'trip' consisted entirely of business matters.

But among the annoyance he felt, there was also warmth. He was glad that Sakura hadn't abandoned him after that outburst two months ago.

And if he were to be honest with himself, his frustration was not all derived of Sakura.

He hadn't been able to find that man again.

Not for two months.

He shifted his head and looked at the computer sitting idly on his desk.

_'Maybe, I can start a fresh search after this trip.'_

His bed creaked as he swung himself to his feet.

"Well, better start writing that speech..."

* * *

_... My dreams of salvation are slipping out of sight_

_In the shimmering moments of the twilight_

_The closing of the tide_

_The whisper on the wind of a rescue_

_A saviour in time ..._

5:20pm : GMT+9  
Kobe, Japan  
Kobe University, Building 3, Room 7

"Finally." Black eyes lowered as he spoke under his breath.

He stood from his chair, his English lecture having ended, and rolled his tired shoulders.

It was just as he'd lifted his bag to his shoulder that his lecturer called to him from the front of the room.

"May I have a word."

And, of course, he obliged.

"I can't stay long, Kakashi." Lately he'd been very irritable, and he was loathe to admit as to why.

"Only need a minute. I'd like to offer you these tickets." Kakashi reached into his pants pocket and retrieved a slim white envelope, "There's a tech-convention in Yokohama next week. My partner and I were going to go, but you see, there was this accident with a bulldozer and our living room wal-"

"You want to get rid of the tickets."

Kakashi grinned fondly at his student, "Indulge an old man, would you." He handed over the tickets and continued, "Knowing you, you won't need to use your recess to study. Find a friend and have some fun."

With a pat on the shoulder, Kakashi sent his student off into the wide world to find a friend.

As the young man walked towards his next class he considered the offer.

He'd been unusually volatile for the last two months.

He hadn't been able to find that man again.

It was hurting him more than he let himself know.

Perhaps a break would do him good.

_'Maybe I'll learn something while I'm there. It **is **a technology convention.'_

His hand touched the smooth wooden banister of the first of many staircases to climb.

"I have nothing better to do."

* * *

You're wondering now what happened to the two.

Did they meet? Did they miss?

Since you first read that article, 'Unreal Reality', you've been waiting.

You want to know.

You're _dying_ to know.

And you will.

Soon enough.


	7. Clean Sheets

**Chapter Title: **'Clean Sheets'  
**Belonging To: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** MissYamapiKara**  
Genre: **Drama, Romance, Science Fiction**  
Warnings: **Struggling-writing flavoured**  
Rating: **T  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Chapter Summary:** Yokohama Tech-Con. Will they meet, or won't they?  
**Chapter Soundtrack:** 'Historypeats' Mad At Gravity

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'. I am gaining no profit from this piece.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
I do not claim ownership over the songs named above.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

MissYamapiKara

**Author's Note: **This time, I want to use this space to reply to Michiru, a reviewer who left an awesome review. First of all thankyou so much for sharing your thoughts! As far as the writing style goes, I'm sure it's not just you who has that opinion. I see exactly what you mean and I understand. I'm glad you see what I'm trying to do with it and I have tried to make it a little smoother in chapter 7. Lastly, character personality: I'm glad you picked up on the difference between the 'Naruto'-verse and that in this story. It was my intention to show the characters as slightly different to emphasise the change in environment and its effect on personalities. I'm excited that you're thinking about the story! I hope you keep with the fic, since I expect that the next chapter will be the last.. _dundundu~n _Oh, and in this chapter, the "-----" in the fourth block was done to make it (hopefully) easier to discern p.o.v.; I just realised there's no 'left align' option in this publisher. _droop_

This chapter is **dedicated** to everyone who made it possible for 'Historypeats', performed by Mad at Gravity, to reach my ears.

_Proceeding..._

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: Clean Sheets**

**-**

"_You are nothing more than a memory to me."_

"_I __**said**__ I'm __**never**__ going to let you go!"_

* * *

He had finished writing the speech as well as his sundry other tasks the day before, and was now walking through the convention centre's public gardens. They were more fragrant than beautiful, but comforting all the same. The one he was in, he'd entered via the reception room; it opened onto a white-stone patio with evergreen hedges and a few small patches of wild flowers. Hanging baskets on the terrace provided the sweet scents. The garden had a path down to ground level, which he followed, and found himself in the first garden's counterpart: identical in every way except boasting a tremendously ornate marble fountain. Something about its musical sound calmed him and though he would still rather not stand and talk in front of a hall of people, he was no longer afraid.

_'This is a nice place.'_ He wasn't tired; rather ready to get the show on the road. He thought for a moment that the garden was somehow important in making him feel so much better.

_'Who knows, maybe this'll be fun.'_

* * *

After thinking it over, he'd decided to use the tickets he'd been given, though he would bypass the suggestion of taking a friend with him. The trip had been quiet and his accommodation pleased him, but the stagnant feeling that had stayed with him for the past months was yet to be affected. The convention hall was open to ticket holders during the set-up days, these being the times that offered unique insight into any one enterprise's organisation.

_'I'll check out the grounds, see where the groups are setting up.'_ It was still a day before the companies would make their addresses and introductions to the con-goers, after which exhibitions would open. He wanted to map out the place a bit so he'd be prepared in the crowds of tomorrow.

_'Maybe it won't be so bad.'_

* * *

He has arrived at the hall and is walking through the rooms, appreciating the hard work around him. But he suddenly feels a little stifled and is wondering how to get to the outside. His dark eyes scan the routes as he stands still momentarily. He sees the way and starts walking again.

-----The programmer is still in the garden right now. He's appreciating the serenity of it and feels loathe to leave it though he knows he should be helping out with the last preparations.

The student is almost to the reception room now; he can see the door that leads outside and can't wait for the fresh air.

-----His conscience tells him to go inside and find his co-workers.

His feet fall faster, one after the other. There's something that's drawing him to the door.

_-----'Yeah, I'll go find them.'_ He concedes to return to work and turns back to the doors.

He's at the door, turning the handle.

-----He's still a couple of steps from the threshold.

But he stops, feeling a familiar uncertainty. He's scared to go further.

-----He has reached the doors leading into the dining room and is out of sight.

They've missed each other by only seconds.

* * *

The convention was ready to pick up the next day. Those involved were encouraged to get a goodnight's sleep.

For two individuals in particular however, their respective nights contained nothing but black. Dreamless, fearless, emotionless sleep, that brought anticipation to lay in-wait in the hollows of their bodies.

On waking, each felt oddly rested, grounded, but unreal all at once.

_... All I know is fading_

_Anxiously awaiting ..._

The AdvanceTech group was called to the stage and introduced member by member.

He felt fine. He was ready.

It was almost as if his fear had disappeared. As he stepped to the microphone, his blue eyes shone with determination.

_... Furtively frustrating ..._

He had wanted to arrive late, planning on listening to only a few speeches. But as he walked into the hall unnoticed, he suddenly wanted to turn and run.

The blood in his ears told him he'd entered into somewhere dangerous.

_.. Endlessly parading _

_down._

Although he couldn't properly hear his own voice, he knew he was speaking strongly. It was a short-lived strength though, for he soon sensed something creeping into his heart, his head, his fingers as they crinkled the pages in front of him.

The stillness he'd known for too long was stirring.

_.. All I feel is falling_

_Clutching sky but stalling .._

The walls were melting together around him.

That voice. Like he'd fallen from somewhere high up, his stomach lurched and he started to sweat. He knew that voice.

He couldn't bring himself to look at the stage.

_.. When the past comes calling_

Everything stopped. His words were stolen; his blood was frozen; it all just stopped.

He was looking to the back of the hall. He could see the face clearly.

The black eyes, the dark hair.

_Will it seem appalling now?_

He had to do it - his eyes moved up.

And he panicked. The silence exploded when he crashed back through the hall's doors and fled.

* * *

… _Memory fades _

_from black to grey shades_

_Born to be broken ..._

_-and grabs the back of his neck._

… _Historypeats_

_Flows through clean sheets_

_Born to be broken ..._

_It pulls him down so fast he doesn't have time to think._

_But he feels the bruising clash and the hot warmth on his lips – the painful crash of teeth on teeth._

_He can't see because he's closed his eyes but knows what's happening and can't bear to stop it. Even if it's a trick, some sort of illusion, he'll take it over the reality._

_If not with the man under him, he won't go home again._

_The hand on his neck hasn't moved, it's still holding tightly. The other he feels on his back, almost tearing his jacket in its nails._

_With the sounds he hears he knows the other is sitting up – crunching leaves and shuffling dirt. As he's overpowered, he feels the coldness of the forest floor seep through his clothes and freeze his back._

_Still, he won't open his eyes._

_If he had, he would have seen that the other wouldn't open his either. _

_Though their positions are now switched they haven't once parted. As if existing as one thing, their mouths can't be persuaded to lose hold and their hands can do nothing but grasp each other's sleeves._

_But he knows this has to end now. And even as the tears are burning down his ever more pale cheeks for the first time in too many years, he's twisting his hand to the front of his pursuer's throat._

_And he's starting to squeeze._

_The one on the ground finally opens his eyes when he feels something like molten iron on his jaw and tastes hot salt on his tongue._

_The one above him sharply turns his head away._

_Then he feels the pressure on his throat._

"_You're crying."_

_Silence._

_He can't see the dark eyes because they still haven't opened and their owner is facing away._

"_I can't believe you're crying." He says it emotionlessly because he isn't really feeling anything describable._

_The trees at the fringes of his vision are getting darker than the rest of the forest above him._

"_I never thought," and here he chokes, "I'd see you cry."_

"_Shut up." It's not more than a forced whisper._

_Blue eyes are becoming cloudy, _"_At least," his head leans back as the hand around his throat tightens, "you gotta know-"_

"_Shut up." Perhaps the air had breathed it._

_It's just seconds before he won't see, hear or feel for hours thereafter. The other hadn't looked at him again, so the last of him he saw was his hanging head and controlled assassin arm._

_Black eyes don't turn back; he doesn't want anything in his memory other than the feeling which he had once vowed never to give in to._

_He leaves._

_The forest is as quiet as an empty cathedral. The darkness hangs heavily. Nothing moves in solemn respect to the unending war that has just been fought here._

_When he wakes up, he'll be alone again._

… _Will you remember, this? ..._


	8. The Same Place Changes

**Chapter Title: **'The Same Place Changes'  
**Belonging To: **'Conscious Dreaming'  
**Author:** MissYamapiKara**  
Genre: **Drama, Romance, Science Fiction**  
Warnings: **None outstanding**  
Rating: **T  
**Base:** 'Naruto' by Masashi Kishimoto  
**Chapter Summary:** Is this real? Is this the end? With all they've been through, known, and forgotten, where are they left? They know now, better than anything else, that nothing ever changes when everything becomes different.  
**Chapter Soundtrack:** 'Between', 'Enough to Go By', 'Gravity' Vienna Teng

**Disclaimer: **I do not claim ownership over the manga, anime or other variations of what I know as 'Naruto'. I am gaining no profit from this piece.  
I have no intimate connection to mentioned established institutes/universities/brands/other names that may be used in this story.  
I do not claim ownership over the songs named above.  
All material other than the above-mentioned is claimed as the sole property of myself.

**Heads Up: **If necessary, action will be taken to protect my own writing. It would be greatly appreciated if fellow avid writers, all readers or general persons would respect the content of this document and not copy it. If it is desired by anyone to use any part of the text on the page, I would bid him or her to contact me and it shall be discussed.

MissYamapiKara

**Author's Note: **This is the final chapter. And I couldn't be gladder of it. I hope for those who were enjoying the story, that this is a satisfying finish. Please, forgive my struggles – I give to you the end of 'Conscious Dreaming'.

This chapter is **dedicated** to everyone who made it possible for 'Between', 'Enough to Go By', and 'Gravity', performed by Vienna Teng, to reach my ears.

_Proceeding..._

* * *

**Conscious Dreaming**

**-**

**: The Same Place Changes**

**-**

It was like waking from a dream.

As if he wasn't standing on a stage in front of too many people to count, he shot forward and ran after the man who'd just fled through the hall doors. He knew, he felt it inching along under his skin, inside of him, that this man was important.

And he had to chase him.

The doors flew back on their hinges and smacked into the walls on either side. He could see the back of the man before he turned a corner in the hall.

He wouldn't let him get away.

_'Not again.'_

* * *

His mad dash led him to move blindly. He didn't know why he was running. Maybe he did. Maybe he'd forgotten somewhere in between the deafening beats of his heart. It was obvious, really.

He couldn't slow his thoughts down.

It wasn't right, it wasn't wrong, and everything was melting together but with big flashes and splashes like paint being thrown onto a brick wall.

Only one thing was clear: he wasn't ready to know what had happened - to know what he'd done.

_'Just keep going.'_

* * *

They're chasing, running, chasing.

The one behind can still see the one in front no matter which way he turns – he won't let him out of his sight.

Before he can think that he should try to get outside, the one in front is suddenly standing in the garden he was in the day before. He remembers the smell and it floods his senses so, that he's made to stop running, even though a part of him says it'll be a costly mistake.

But he doesn't want to run anymore.

He turns around, slowly, not lifting his head but instead watching the ground as if it might move out from under him at any moment. At the sound of rasping breath behind him, he takes in a deep breath. He realises he's really, really scared.

The other has caught up now and leans his palms on his knees so he can catch his breath. He's confused but bubbling inside like he does when he's happy beyond anything else.

Is this finally it?

He remembers seeing the same pale-skinned man, standing so straight and strong, in the AdvanceTechWorld lounge all those months ago. And the time in the children's playground, only the second time but it could have been the millionth.

He stands up, having caught his breath, and can't help himself but to go forward. The other looks up at the first step he takes.

Blue and black collide.

_... You won't recognise me  
For the light in my eyes is strange …_

They stare.

They're sure of nothing.

_'Does he know me?'_ He takes one more step forward.

_'I don't want to remember.' _He backs away an inch for every one the other gains on him.

… _It was years ago, God knows,  
When you strained to tell me your whole truth ..._

The garden is still, it could be a cardboard cut-out. It doesn't feel dead but something has ceased and other things are starting to turn. They can both sense it.

He's reaching out his hand now instead of advancing any further, "Why are you running?" He whispers it almost too quiet to hear.

His eyes skirt away from the other's to watch the hand that's offered. He opens his mouth, not knowing what might come out. His voice is like a mere breath, "I don't know."

Gradually retracting his hand, he pushes his blond hair from his forehead so that it won't fall near his eyes. He has to ask, "You've been seeing the same things?"

It's all the other can do to nod.

"You remember?" Two words straining with hope against his throat.

The dark eyes meet with the other's once more and aren't cold or warm but almost seem to grow and take in everything around them. This one question will prove to him so much, too much, everything, "I didn't stay, did I?"

… _That you were not mine to save  
That you could not change …_

His voice trips over his tongue and can't get past the teeth he's clenching together – tightly because otherwise his insides might jump out past the grief that's closing his throat. He chokes, "No." He swallows but the tightness doesn't lessen, "You didn't. And I couldn't make you."

… _This is the same place  
No not the same place  
This is the same place, Love  
No not the same place we've been before ..._

Maybe, just maybe, he can stop losing now, "I wanted to," his name, he remembers the man's name, "Naruto."

The pain dissolves in a flood of relief. His eyes widen as he hears his name and he bites back sobs like bitter medicine. He responds in kind, "Sasuke."

Sasuke lets himself fall forward at the sound of his name coming from his old friend's lips and embraces Naruto more tightly than he ever thought he'd have the chance. He's not crying, but he can feel Naruto's tears like warm fingertips and the most precious thing he's ever known in himself when he presses their cheeks together.

… _Something more alive than silence  
swallows conversation._

Finally being able to talk to, to touch the man that's been haunting him, not being scared anymore, finally having returned to Naruto, it's like waking from a dream, it's like going home, "Is this real?"

Naruto pulls back only far enough to grin at Sasuke like he used to, with triumph and warmth and something golden, "Does it matter?" And he leans to meet their lips as they were supposed to years, lives, memories ago.

* * *

You reach the end of the story's pages and you feel and don't all at once.

Was this what you wanted? Was this what you expected? Are you happy? Are you sad?

You know the two are together, and that's all that really matters.

You think about the real and the false and wonder about it. Please, let me tell you to stop while you're not too far involved.

This story is one you picked up after a usual day, and it isn't something that will change your life. You'll have more usual days and you'll know more exciting things.

You'll forget all you've read in time.

But all the same, you're glad _you_ were the one chosen to share in their last story.

* * *


End file.
